Go here to get your own.

Knitting? What knitting?

My mother has wrist problems, which in turn has made me oversensitive to wrist problems myself. Ie if my wrists start hurting, I stop knitting. Frustrating. So I haven't been doing much knitting this week (no Lady E progress!) Though I did join the Knitting Olympics with the hopes of knitting this:



I am offically crazy. Size 3 needles? Whoo boy....

I've been trying to finish up some UFO's (namely Clapotis), but with the length of the projects I had to throw in a quick one for some instant gratification:

A pocket creature (from Knitty) and a tea cozy (from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation). Using some yarn from the family and some Cascade Pastaza I had left over from my first sweater. I tried to modify the cozy pattern some to fit a smaller teapot, but the yarn was too bulky. Still, it was my first color knitting project, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out :)

With knitting verboten for the week, I switched to sewing and bought a couple of Vogue skirt patterns. Let's just say I'm not as curvy as the ideal woman (size 6 is a 23" waist to 32.5" hips, which makes my 4" waist to hip increase seem, well, boyish) and will have to see how it turns out. I bought some muslin and made up the front and back last night before crawling into bed with my cold/allergies. Today I'll finish seaming and see if I picked the right size. I'm learning some neat things (French seams!) and really like the flexibility of choosing my own fabric and details.

This weekend brings some much needed down time - I've resolved to not come into work and not work for the family (after all the drama there lately I need a break). Knitting and watching my Netflix rentals sounds just about right today!

meme

I've been tagged by bear mountain picnic - I hear this one has made the rounds, so here goes:

FOUR MEME

Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life:
1. Graduate student
2. Intern
3. Tutor
4. Student leader in a chemistry lab (*whip crack* Make that solution!)


Four Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:
1. Lord of the Rings (any of 'em)
2. Harry Potter (mostly the 3rd)
3. Princess Bride
4. Monty Python? Muppet Movie? Good Will Hunting?


Four Places You Have Lived (only 4?)
1. Bartlesville, OK
2. Berkeley, CA
3. Santa Barbara, CA
4. Los Angeles, CA


Four TV Shows You Love to Watch
1. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
2. Family Guy
3. Gilmore Girls
4. West Wing


Four Places You Have Been on Vacation
1. Germany
2. New Mexico
3. Oregon
4. Hawaii


Four Websites You Visit Daily
1. Yahoo/Gmail - compulsive email checking
2. Fark
3. Comedy Central
4. Bloglines


Four of your Favorite Foods
1. Edamame
2. Anything with Nutella
3. Pistachio ice cream
4. Cheese


Four Bloggers You are Tagging:
Well, if you haven't done this then what are you waiting for?

A true blogger moment

Last night as I rifled through my stash to take stock of my yarn (ie try to find yarn suitable for the Leaf Pullover I've seen around), I ran across some grey Cascade Pastaza. Enough to make, well, something out of...trouble was I couldn't remember what I was going to make. I knew I'd bought it with a project in mind, at the Yarn Lady no less.

I also knew I could look on my blog and figure it out. I'm not sure how I feel about that...

I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed by my stash - frantically knitting to free some room in my oh-so-tiny studio. My studio that inspired my friend to comment, "Guess you can't be a packrat anymore."

Watch me try.

Still chugging along on Lady E for Sknitty's KAL. Started a sock. Branching Out, Claptois, Lace Leaf Socks, fingerless gloves, a random scarf. Plenty to work on still. And so many new projects I want to start - mostly sweaters, as the chemicals have attacked one of my favorites (this will teach me to wear clothes I like to lab). Knit knit knit knit knit.

Happy weekend!

Lady E

I gave in and started another new project (because the 10-odd projects I had going just weren't doing it for me) After a good week of knitting at night, at work, in cafes, I give you Lady Eleanor (10 tiers). Silk Garden, colorway 224, on US 9 needles (as opposed to the US 10.5 the pattern calls for). I'm concerned about the yardage on this - I've gone through almost 3 balls and only managed 10 tiers - I have 7 balls left for the remaining 25 tiers. It seems....close. But I'm loving how the varigated colors work into the blocks. One of my nannying charges was convinced I was switching yarn each time - eech - too many ends to weave in!

FBS #3 - Mom's birthday

All pinned out!

Whew. 2 down, 1 more to go (for Mother's Day). Last night I made a few knitting-related resolutions

1. Use up stash. Seriously. My place is small enough
2. Do not buy any more yarn until, a) I've used up my stash or b) Yarn Lady sale. Maybe.
3. Either use the knitting machine or sell it. My financial situation could use the improvement...
4. Rethink the idea of knitting for non-knitters. Often leads to frustration. With the exception of finger puppets...

I've been knitting, I swear

Finally done with Christmas knitting - onto birthday knitting! Here are some of the FO's, though not all....



Clockwise, from top left: OSW for Amy, yoga bag from Knitty for Michelle, simple grey socks for Dad, and FBS for Mom. Not pictured are muppet hands and another OSW (which, not too suprisingly, needs to be enlarged. Does anyone else have this problem with OSW?)

Not much to do at work today, just been reading. Planning on taking off soon to try and finish Mom's birthday present (considering her birthday is tomorrow, well, it's going to be late)

Happy New Year!